The Strangest Pumpkin Flavored Foods

When we think of fall, several things come immediately to mind — cooling temperatures, turning leaves, costumes, candy and turkey dinner. But nothing evokes the season more than pumpkin pie, especially with a generous dollop of waist-expanding whipped cream. With its velvety texture and rich flavor, what’s not to love?

Over the past few years, manufacturers have been steadily increasing the number of pumpkin-flavored products on the market in order to capitalize on seasonal tastes. Some of these pairings make sense, but others leave us scratching our heads, further cementing the idea that pumpkins are best suited as Halloween decorations and as post-Thanksgiving dessert. For 10 of the strangest pumpkin-infused foods, see below.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Pringles

Kellogg

At first we thought Pumpkin Pie Spice Pringles were an internet joke, but then we found tons of blogs describing the seasonal flavor and knew that it was unfortunately true. To add insult to injury, Pringles is also poised to introduce two other limited edition flavors guaranteed to make your stomach turn — white chocolate peppermint and cinnamon & sugar. One taster described them as a “horrible abomination to humanity.” Pringles, what have you done?

Pinnacle Pumpkin Pie Vodka

Pinnacle

Does anyone really drink alcohol for the taste? Listen, if you want flavor, go eat food. Otherwise, there’s just no excuse for Pinnacle’s pumpkin pie-flavored vodka. Not convinced? Then consider Huffington Post’s review where they said it “tasted like the horrible medicine your parents made you take when you were a kid.” Pinnacle, by the way, makes an array of wacky flavors, including cookie dough, cotton candy, marshmallow and whipped key lime. Try ‘em all if you’ve got brain cells and taste buds to spare.

Creepy Pumpkin Gumballs

Archie McPhee

If the point of gum is to freshen breath, then Creepy Pumpkin Gumballs by Archie McPhee probably miss the mark. In fact, the company’s listing for the product seems to focus less on the taste of the gum and more on the “scary, carved pumpkin” tin that they come in. That can’t be a good sign.

Maine Root Pumpkin Pie Soda

Good Food Stories

Given that this handcrafted beverage by Maine Root is billed as pumpkin pie-flavored, it’s strange that there’s none of the stuff actually in it. Instead, the soda is made of water, organic cane juice and spices like nutmeg, clove and allspice. If you’ve ever dreamed of drinking a piece of pumpkin pie, then this might be for you.

Jet-Puffed Pumpkin Spice Mallows

grouchymuffin

If you go to the trouble of shaping food like a pumpkin, at least make sure it tastes like, well, a pumpkin. In the case of Jet-Puffed Pumpkin Spice Mallows, one critic said the pumpkin taste was “implied” and that they’re more reminiscent of gingerbread. Another wrote: “I love marshmallows. I wanted to love pumpkin marshmallows. I did not love pumpkin marshmallows.” ‘Nuff said.

Pumpkin Spice Fettuccine

The Nibble

We’re not sticklers when it comes to pasta and love it in almost any form. But pumpkin fettuccine? That seems way too bizarre even for us. Still, Nibble found an interesting use for the food, which is made by gourmet pasta maker Rossi Pasta, by serving it with chicken and spiced orange cream.

Pumpkin Crisps

The Country Tart

According to the blogger responsible for these pumpkin crisps, they were made by accident. In all likelihood, that probably means someone left bits of pumpkin out overnight, then had the fortitude to eat it the following day. Either way, the maker says they’re “sweet and crispy without the addition of sugar” and make a great snack. Regardless, we might settle for eating Pumpkin Pie Spice Pringles instead. Scratch that. No we wouldn’t.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Kit Kat

Japanese Snack Reviews

Since tastes tend to vary from country to country, beloved snacks in America may be unrecognizable overseas. Japanese Kit Kats, for example, are traditionally sold in strawberry, green tea and chocolate (fudge, bittersweet, dark, etc.) varieties. In light of that, it shouldn’t seem surprising that a pumpkin cheesecake flavor is also available. To us, though, these seems mighty weird, right down to the anime-style pumpkins on the package.

Polar Pumpkin Spice Seltzer

Joseph Erdos

People tend to like seltzer precisely because it doesn’t taste like anything. So, we’re not entirely sure how they might react to Polar’s line of limited edition holiday flavors, which includes eggnog, candy cane, Granny Smith apple and, of course, pumpkin spice. Huffington Post wrote that the seltzers tasted a bit “medicinal” and in each case their aroma was markedly stronger than the taste.

Chicken-Pumpkin Tacos with Post Road Pumpkin Ale

Paul Cypher

As a way to celebrate the season and his appreciation for all things pumpkin, the blogger at Birds, Brews and Blither sat down for a meal of Chicken-Pumpkin Tacos, which were made with a staggering array of ingredients, including chicken, pumpkin, red peppers, onions, cumin, tomatoes, salt, hot sauce, cilantro, chili powder, cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, salsa, sour cream and a flour tortilla. Although the tacos were “awesome,” things took a downturn when he proceeded to drink a Post Road Pumpkin Ale, which he described as “weird” and filled with overwhelming spices. Way to ruin a good meal, pumpkin.

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